Andrew Bruckner
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'My field studies are located in Puerto Rico, the Netherlands Antilles and the Gulf of Mexico. Here I work on the distribution, abundance and long term impacts of disease and predation on affected corals and coral reefs. I relate this to hurricanes and environmental stressors such as the impact of ship groundings.'
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Dr. Andrew Bruckner is a coral reef ecologist with NOAAs Coral Reef Conservation Program. One aspect of his work involves research on the impact of coral diseases, predators and physical disturbance on major reefbuilding corals (Acropora, Montastraea) in the western Atlantic.
Other scientific work of Dr. Bruckner involves an evaluation of various ecological approaches to mitigate impacts to acroporid coral species from diseases and corallivores. He also works on long term monitoring of the effectiveness of activities undertaken to restore Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) colonies damaged during ship groundings.
Dr. Bruckner is a member of the Acropora Recovery Team, which is developing a recovery plan for the conservation of Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) and Staghorn coral (A. cervicornis), two corals listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
In addition to his work on Caribbean reefs, Dr. Bruckner manages a coral grants program that is supporting several projects concerned with acroporid corals. One of these projects is SECORE, working on the sexual reproduction of A. palmata and A. cervicornis. Other projects are concerned with the spatial distribution of acroporids and the characterization of their health; the genetic characterization of the main gastropod predator of these corals; and the development of management plans to conserve acroporid resources.
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Andrew Bruckner, Ph.D.Coral Reef EcologistEcosystem Assessment DivisionNational Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) NOAA Fisheries-Habitat Conservation1315 East-West HighwaySilver Spring, Maryland 20910USA
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